Bay Area

Oakland Police Report: Crime Reduction Numbers Mixed

A new report from the Oakland Police Department shows that its latest plan to fight crime in the city has only been partially successful.

The plan, unveiled by Oakland police in January, produced few positive results in many key crime categories, including robberies, burglaries and shootings.

The 90-Day Violence Suppression Plan is separate from the well-known Oakland 100 Block Plan - they run in conjunction with each other, OPD said. Many of the same Oakland neighborhoods, in fact, are covered under both plans. Findings from the report show that crime reduction results from those neighborhoods covered by both plans were mixed, as well.

On Tuesday, an Oakland City Council subcommittee on public safety will take up a discussion about the OPD report.

The plan was launched in January, focusing primarily on two areas in East Oakland - designated as "Bureau of Field Operations One" and "Bureau of Field Operations Two." The first area runs from the Bay to 23rd Avenue, including the North Oakland Hills to Keller Avenue. The second area covers 23rd Avenue to the San Leandro border, including the East Oakland Hills from Keller Avenue to the San Leandro border.

In the report, both areas targeted show some reductions in crime, but also some alarming spikes.

According to police, the area known as Bureau of Field Operations One shows a small reduction in homicides, but there also has been an increase in other major crime categories during that same time period, including auto theft, assault with a deadly weapon and burglaries.

For Bureau of Field Operations Two, there was a 17 percent increase in aggravated assaults along with a 25 percent decrease in rapes, the report states. In addition, homicides were up, due mostly to the Oikos University tragedy, police say.

"Robberies, burglaries and shootings (also) continue to be a challenge," the report reads.

Total cost for OPD to fund the 90-Day Violence Suppression Plan was $320,000.

The report also includes information on how the 90-Day Plan has impacted the areas that are a part of the 100 Block Plan. According to the report, the Lowell/Acorn area saw a reduction in shootings and robberies, but there were increases in rape, auto theft, burglary and arson.

"Overall, crime in this area increased by 8 percent," the report reads.

In the "McClymonds area," police said that the number of aggravated assaults did not change and robberies decreased 16 percent. But, burglaries saw a double digit jump and overall crime in the area increased by 10 percent. Even worse, the Elmhurst area saw its overall crime increased 25 percent with total aggravated assaults up 35 percent.

The Havenscourt area was an area of success for OPD. During the plan's operations, overall crime saw a "significant" reduction of 13 percent.